Montego Bay, 2 December 2019 – Jamaica – A total of 66 cruise ships are scheduled to call at ports across the island for the month of December. Of the total, 25 are scheduled for the resort town of Ocho Rios, with 19 for Montego Bay, 18 for Falmouth, and four for Port Antonio.
Tourism
Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, told JIS News that the figure, while less than
the 75 port calls for December 2018, is expected to rise as the season gathers
momentum.
“The
numbers that are coming out of Ocho Rios are very encouraging and we are
expecting to see more of that as we get into the heart of the cruise shipping
season…from December to April,” he said.
“Jamaica
has the most diverse tourism product in the entire region…the most natural
attractions…and some of the biggest and best cruise ports. I really expect a
cruise shipping explosion over the next few years where all our ports of call
will be well represented,” he added.
Minister
Bartlett added that cruise lines officials are well aware of the quality that
Jamaica brings to the table and as such “they continue to send their biggest
and newest ships to our ports year in and year out.”
“This
is why it is with a renewed sense of optimism that we are looking forward to the
next couple of seasons where we will be seeing numbers out of the ordinary for
cruise shipping,” he added.
Chief
Strategist and Senior Advisor in the Ministry, Delano Seiveright, said that
both Montego Bay and Falmouth will see further improvement, adding that
Kingston and Port Royal “will eventually have their say and in a big way.”
“Cruise
is now moving in a particular direction and we have to position ourselves to
fully capitalise on what, inevitably, will be coming our way,” he said. “We just have to continue to improve on our
cruise offerings and ensure that our guests get to enjoy the type of experience
where they will just want to come back,” he added.
Meanwhile,
owner of the Ocean View Jerk Centre in Bryans Bay, Port Antonio, Bentley
Rodney, said local stakeholders are looking forward to the cruise ships calls
for December, three of which will be by the ultra luxury vessel Seabourn Sojourn.
“In
Port Antonio that is almost like winning the lottery” he said.
He
noted that while the number does not compare to Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and
Falmouth, which sometimes have multiple port calls per day “we are looking at
it with great optimism that things are improving.”
Mr.
Rodney said he is happy that Port Antonio is being seen as a port that will be
able to “attract the smaller boutique vessels and the kind of visitors that are
looking for a quieter and more relaxed experience.”
“If
you want your quality rafting or to climb some beautiful waterfalls or even to
hang out on a pristine white sand beach with the beautiful Caribbean Sea
backdrop, then look no further than Port Antonio,” he said.
Contact: Garwin Davis
Release: JIS
Photos:
Header: Harmony of the Sea, the second largest cruise ship in the world, makes a call at the Falmouth Port.
Insert: Club Med 2 docks in beautiful Port Antonio on November 25.